Florida Congressmen Want to End Slaughtering Cats and Dogs for Human Consumption

Two Florida congressmen--Republican Vern Buchanan and Democrat Alcee Hastings--have teamed up on bringing out the “Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act," a proposal banning the slaughter of cats and dogs for human consumption.

Hastings introduced the bill this week. Besides Buchanan, other co-sponsors include U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle, D-Penn., and Dave Trott, R-Mich. The bill has the support of the Humane Society of the United States.

The two congressmen from the Sunshine State made their case as to why the bill was needed.

“In much of the United States it is still legal to slaughter dogs and cats for the purpose of human consumption,” Hastings said. “It is long overdue for Congress to unify animal cruelty laws across our country to explicitly ban the killing and consumption of these animals. I am pleased to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to end this cruel and inhumane practice.”

“Dogs and cats provide companionship to millions of Americans and should not be slaughtered and sold as food,” Buchanan said. “This bill will update our animal cruelty laws to provide important protections to America’s most popular pets.”

Buchanan has also garnered national attention for his work on animal issues. The Humane Society of the United States named Buchanan as its legislator of the year last April, the first time a member of the Florida delegation has received the honor. Buchanan received a 100 score from the Humane Society and fought for some of the group’s top priorities. In 2016, Buchanan brought out the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act which bans exporting horses to Mexican slaughterhouses. Buchanan has also led the charge on Capitol Hill to stop domestic slaughterhouses from creating horse meat for human consumption. The Bradenton congressman has also been active in trying to keep manatees covered under the Endangered Species Act. Last year, Buchanan protested the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to downgrade manatees from “endangered” to “threatened.”

Hasting’s bill has been sent to the House Agriculture Committee. So far, there is no Senate counterpart.

This bill should have the backing of every representative and the Senate should also pass this Bill. No discussion even needed. Oh and the slaughter of horses and sending horses from the U.S. to other countries to be slaughtered should be added !!!

Yes protect cats and dogs. Horses need protection from slaughter too. Boycott beef and pork! Don't eat any mammals. We eat chicken turkey and fish. 30 years without beef or pork and we are better off. Humans are so cruel. These are sentient beings with consciousness and feelings like us. Mr Anomous above sounds like the kind of creature we would be better off without on this planet. I am having a hard time not cursing at his vicious remarks!

Yes protect cats and dogs. Horses need protection from slaughter too. Boycott beef and pork! Don't eat any mammals. We eat chicken turkey and fish. 30 years without beef or pork and we are better off. Humans are so cruel. These are sentient beings with consciousness and feelings like us. Mr Anomous above sounds like the kind of creature we would be better off without on this planet. I am having a hard time not cursing at his vicious remarks!

The only reason this grosses us out is because we love our pets, but I used to keep my horse in a pasture with a young calf. When that calf finally got to a certain age and weight, the owner took it to the slaughter house to prepare the meat for their freezer. I was appalled. My horse enjoyed the cow and so did I. In the end we must consider our reasons before we make these decisions. In the case I am talking about, the owners bought the calf to raise for that very reason. They needed the meat to survive. I am not into eating my dog or my cat, but if things became desperate, and there was no food, I can see where it could become necessary. People in these type of situations have actually eaten other humans in order to stay alive. I Hate it when the Government gets involved in this kind of thing. Cruelty? Yes. Make laws against it. But get the heck out of our everyday lives. THAT'S MY RANT!

It's not caveman days anymore and people don't need to kill dogs and cats...in the orient they are tortured horribly before they are killed...this is unconscionable. Dogs and cats, still alive, skinned alive, boiled alive, hair blowtorched off of them while still alive...no animal should have to endure this kind of pain and suffering. This is evil and insane. The global community needs to collectively demand that the dog and cat meat trade be ended everywhere it exists. In June, we will see the killing of thousands of dogs and cats in a matter of a few days in Yulin, China....but first, the torture that I mentioned above will be inflicted upon them...this is wrong and needs to stop now!

What next, cows, hogs, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, fish, crabs, lobster, eels, frogs... can't forget eggs from fish and fowl. Nor we forget the wild animals.
The Humane Society "humanely destroys" these dogs and cats when they aren't "adopted" become an economics... about two weeks. They should sell these unwanted animals to Asia to be eaten humanely by humans... a "win-win" solution.
I understand and support laws for the cruelty of animals, but laws to protect the exterminate unwanted animals because they become a financial burden? Sell them to China and other countries that eat cats and dogs... it's the humane thing to do.

This person is a Nut, we don't sell our animals to country that eat them . You work for the dog pounds . They are the one who does this. Get paid for animals . You should be shame of yourself . I think you should move there and eat there food. And you will die LOL because our animals have to much med in them . So you go head , you will go to Hell.

Sounds like you need to do some research before commenting. If you knew anything about the dog meat trade, you would know that it is far from humane. The dogs are brutally beaten and torchered, burned and boiled alive, their feet cut off while they are live (because they believe that somehow the dogs feet has some mystical powers) before they finally succumb to an awful death. They believe that the more the animal suffers, the more adrenaline it releases and the more tender the meat will be. That is NOT humane nor is it any sort of "win" for the animal.

You remind me of my ex wife. I fished in Pa for fresh water rainbow trout. She wouldn't eat yet she would buy fish at the supermarket for supper. You eat meat or fowl don't you? well a pig, or cow can be a pet like a dog or a cat. So off with you for your sadist remark about me when it you that are the sadist!